But the school appears wise in locking up Fitzgerald until the rest of his hair turns gray. The new 10-year deal, sources told the Tribune, is worth about $1.8 million per season.

That figure is significant only because it shows Fitzgerald's commitment to his alma mater. When Michigan officials pursued him in January, they laid out salary parameters starting at $2.5 million. Negotiations could have boosted it to $3 million.

"This needed to be an emphatic statement about where we're headed and who's leading us," Phillips said by telephone. "I wanted to end some of that speculation about where he is going to be."

Phillips, in New York City with Fitzgerald on Tuesday to visit donors and schmooze with NU alum/Yankees manager Joe Girardi, then added: "We have the right guy. It's a great day."

Fitzgerald, the 36-year-old Orland Park native and former All-America linebacker, said he hopes to be a Northwestern lifer, adding: "I feel privileged to be here."

Before signing an extension that was hatched in January, Fitzgerald wanted assurances that NU leaders would commit the kind of resources that every other Big Ten competitor already has.

The two main areas:

•A beefed-up salary pool for assistant coaches and support staff. Receivers coach Kevin Johns left Northwestern for Indiana after the season, telling the Tribune that "family" concerns — comfortably raising his three children — were paramount.

•Building an on-campus, lakefront facility that could house football offices, a weight room, a practice field — and enhance the experience for student-athletes on NU's other 18 varsity teams.

As it is now, the women's lacrosse and both soccer teams play on campus, while most teams — including football and basketball — venture about a mile to the Ryan Field/Welsh-Ryan Arena complex. That's no treat for 6 a.m. workouts.

And one NU source said an on-campus facility could be a "game-changer" for football recruiting.

But the new structure is more of a goal than a concrete plan. The sports architecture firm Populous will give Northwestern the results of its Master Plan facilities analysis this summer, likely in July or August.

Phillips and his team will travel around the country to 15-20 college campuses this spring and summer, taking notes on what works best.

"The biggest point," Phillips said, "is that we'd like a full integration of athletics into our campus."

Fitzgerald, 34-29 in six seasons with three straight bowl appearances, said that Northwestern is "champing at the bit for that Master Plan" and that his new agreement "provides all the necessary resources to attract, recruit and retain the best people … and to compete for championships."

The 10-year deal is the longest Northwestern has ever awarded a coach. But Fitzgerald said he and wife, Stacy, have yet to uncork any champagne.

"No, you know me," he said. "I'm elated to be in this leadership role, but there's a task at hand and lots of work to do."